TNT Tropang Giga (formerly TNT KaTropa) and Alaska Milk get the ball rolling in PBA Season 45 Philippine Cup reboot Sunday, a milestone in new normal in the country still gripped by the coronavirus pandemic.
The PBA is returning to action with the P65-million bubble play staged, in a way, to entertain, inspire and give hope to the nation amidst the health crisis.
The Tropang Giga and the Aces take the honor of setting the tournament restart in motion, slugging it out at 4 p.m. at the Angeles University Foundation Gym in Angeles City which is just a few minutes drive from Quest Hotel inside the Clark Freeport Zone.
The TNT-Alaska tiff marks the resumption of PBA Season 45 rudely interrupted by COVID-19 just after the season opener last March.
From the inaugurals, the two teams set foot on the floor with tweaked lineups as TNT's Kelly Williams decided to retire while Alaska's Sonny Thoss opted out of the bubble play as he's also about to hang his jersey.
Sponsored content: Vic Manuel, Jvee Casio, Jeron Teng and Kevin Racal banner a youthful Alaska cast featuring Robert Herndon, Abu Tratter, Mike Digregorio, Abel Galliguez, Yutien Andrada, Rodney Brondial, Mer Jesper Ayaay and rookies Jaycee Marcelino, Kevin Ebona and Reynaldo Publico.
Former Rain or Shine player Maverick Ahanmisi will try to catch up as soon as he joins the Aces inside the bubble.
Coach Jeffrey Cariaso will have at his disposal only seven holdovers from the Alaska team that placed eighth in the last Philippine Cup. They are Manuel, Casio, Teng, Racal, Galliguez, Ayaay and Andrada.
Alaska hardly had improvement in the last conference, finishing behind Ginebra, Meralco, TNT, NorthPort, NLEX, San Miguel and Magnolia.
Barely missing the finals last conference and aching to do better in the bubble play are coach Bong Ravena and his TNT chargers.
They also hope the name change brings some luck.
Sponsored content: "Giga is derived from the Greek word gigas, which means 'giant.' We don't just go big; we always go Giga!" said team manager Gabby Cui.
Coming with the new team name are some key recruits including Poy Erram, Simon Enciso and rookie Kib Montalbo.
The ball club is so determined to do good in the bubble play that it exposed the Tropang Giga to bubble setting and experience as soon as the government allowed the PBA ball clubs to calibrated return to practice.(SB)
